The Ride Home
by RapozaTeRa
Summary: An AU drabble, appropriate age-gap. Every day after school, she sees him on her commute home. She has an hour to do homework, make some new friends, stare out the window and think... and yet, she spends a majority of it wondering how to work up the courage to talk to him during the nerve-wracking, five-minute ride he takes between university and work. SteinMa (Stein x Maka).


**After years of lying in what seemed to be an eternal sleep...**

 **RapozaTeRa is BACK!**

 **For those of you that have followed me for any of my 3-6 year hiatus, I know, I know: "WHY ON _EARTH_ ARE YOU POSTING UP A DRABBLE WHEN YOU HAVEN'T UPDATED A MONTH IN THE HOUSE OF DEATH IN ALMOST A _DECADE?_ " S** **o a big part of me not updating was living in a hostile home situation, and at first, trying to get through middle school, assuming I'd have more time to write and be more together in high school. NOPE. So now I've finished up HIGH school, and have been out for a few years, and am living in my own place. I figured, what better time to come back? I'm actually working on a ton of personal projects atm, like my own Youtube Channel, and posting my illustrations more regularly. I'd love it if you all could follow me on my Instagram at KatLexis, and on my tumblr at katlexisanimations . tumblr . com to see some of said illustrations and updates on youtube episodes, but for now, enjoy this little drabble! I wrote it a while back, but I think that it's pretty close to my current writing abilities (or as close as I can get, as I don't write nearly as often as I should). I know that SteinMa isn't a super popular couple, but I always seem to take those types of ships more seriously. Expect an update on the Month In the House of Death on May 30th, 2017.**

 **Until then, here ya go!**

 _ **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Soul Eater, and am not attempting to profit or claim the rights to this series as my own. This is a work of fiction created purely for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my followers. Thanks!**_ **  
**

 **The Ride Home**

 _by **RapozaTeRa**_

There they were again; but only for a moment.

Previously cast in thought, his grey eyes met her green, and he smiled. She resumed gazing into the textbook in her lap, having stared at the same sentence ten minutes prior. The last final of her junior year — physics — was next week, and studying on the way home was her best bet at passing, even if it meant risking looking like an unaware target on a bus full of strangers. She set her goal at memorizing at least four formulas before reaching her stop but…

She trailed her eyes along his glossy, pointed shoes and his pressed black slacks and apron up to his crisp dress-shirt to his face once more. The bus's freshly-cleaned windows made for dramatic lighting; his hair flashed like new coins in the mid-day sun, only to return to a dull grey when they passed under trees. She didn't know his name, but found herself staring at him as she did every Friday when he was on his way home, presumably from work at the restaurant behind his stop. She'd stare at his hair, then his eyes, and get lost… and the moment his met hers, she'd return to her reading material. She was far too anxious to just talk to him — what if he was too old for her? What if her constant staring weirded him out? He always seemed like he didn't want to be bothered, or that he was troubled by something. Were his subtle acknowledgements only a formality? Normally he took a seat across from her, but now he was right next to her, deep in thought, not at all aware of the sweating, nervous wreck to his left.

"So I see you all are covering stoichiometry."

Her head snapped up so quickly that she could have sworn she heard something crack. For a moment, her mouth was filled with cotton.

"…I'm sorry, what?" He smiled again, and her face grew hot.

"Stoichiometry — you seem to be having a bit of trouble with it. You've been on that page for a while now." She thought she would collapse from her rising temperature and burgeoning sense of embarrassment. Not only had he probably noticed her staring, but he had to think she was stupid!

"No, not at all! I mean… this equation involves volume conversion, and —"

"I'm sorry, hold that thought." Suddenly, his head whipped to his right. They'd reached his stop. He swiftly pulled his backpack off of his back and dug around inside, exposing his arms: they were covered in neatly tattoo'd stitches. He pulled out a note-card, jotted something down, and handed it to her. "I've got to go, but I'm a freshman at the university down the street as a physics major; If you need any assistance, feel free to contact me."

She was completely taken aback, and could only stare at his receding figure. Just as he was stepping off the bus, she called out to him.

"Wait! What's your name?"

He turned, and his glasses flashed as he lowered his head in a sort of half-bow. "Frank. But you can call me Stein. And yourself?"

Feeling a little more confident, she returned his smile. "I'm Maka."

"Nice to meet you. We'll talk soon." He grinned lazily and winked before stepping off. The bus driver rolled his eyes and punched the gas.

He checked one of the many mirrors surrounding his seat to get a better view of the girl just behind him, holding her books close and smiling at nothing in particular. "Damned kids," he murmured. "stopping up my route to flirt…"


End file.
